Prepayment gas-meter and other coin-freed apparatus.



J. MAUKENZIE & A. MERCER.

PBEPAYMBNT GAS METER AND OTHER COIN FREED APPARATUS. APPLIGATION FILED APR. 17, 1909.

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J. MAGKENZIE & A. MERCER. PREPAYMENT GAS METER AND OTHER COIN FREED APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1909.

930,398. Patented Aug. 1o, 1909.

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JoHN MACKENZIE AND ARTHUR MERCER, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, Assi'GNoRs To METERS LiMrrEnor MANCHESTER, ENCLAND.

PREPAYMENT GAS-METER AND OTHER COIN-FREED APPARATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

Application filed. April 17, 1909. Serial No. 490,558.

in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and `useful Improvements in Prepayment Gas-Mieters and other Coin-- Freed Apparatus, of which the 'following is` a specification.

This invention relates to prepayment gas meters and other coin freed apparatus and' has for its object to provide a moreconvenlent form of coin receptacle than has here- L tofore been employed and Vmore efficient means for preventing unauthorized access to` said receptacle.

The invention comprises the combination with a protective casing of a coin receptacle supported in said casing and composed of flexible material held open at the coin receiving end, the other or outlet end being laced, tied or otherwise adapted iorfready opening and closing, and said casing being fitted with a circular locking plate placed into position by a partial rotary movement whereby lugs or like projections are caused to engage shoulders for holding the plate and casing firmly together, a locking bolt preventing unauthorized rotation'of the plate to obtain its removal.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings :*Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly 1n section, illustratmg one convenient a lication of our invention the eing shown 1n 1ts locked po-l loclring plate sition. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the locking plate in another position. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and` 2. Y Fig. 4 is a rear sectionalv viewv showing a modified form of locking means. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating the fixed member with `which the locking plate shown in Fig. 4 en-` Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the gages. locking plate shown in Fig. 4.

The same reference letters 'indicate the same or similar parts.

In the illustrated applications of our invention, we form our protective casing a from sheet metal or in any other convenient manner, and secure same to the gas meter or other apparatus by riveting or otherwise.

One form of coin receptacle comprises a piece of flexible material b (Fig. made in the form of an openended bag or cylinder, the upper end being secured upon a frame like member c which can freely lit within the protective casing a. Said frame c may be supported upon pins d inserted across the casing @or in any convenient manner. The lowerend of the piece of flexible material l) is laced, tied or otherwise adapted to be readily closed and opened, and the whole receptacle b is of such a length that when the locking plate @to be hereinafter referred to, is `withdrawn from position upon the casing a, the lower or outlet end of the receptacle l) can extend vthrough the apertures in the casing for facilitating the removal of the contents of the bag. ``when the casing is closed the lower end of the coin receptacle rests upon the bottom of the casing a which supports the coins within the bag as shown in Fig. 3.

By the employment of our flexible coin receptacle we are enabled to use a locking plate e'for the protective casing of circular form, said plate being fitted with a lock f controlled by a key. The protective casing a, at the place where said locking plate e lits, is provided with a lip like projection g which mayy be so arranged that when the corresponding portion h of the locking plate engages therewith, the outer face of said plate lies flush with the surface of the casing. In said lip we provide one or more grooves or slots as i, `through which can pass bolts or projections as upon the locking late. To place the latter in position, the bo t is passed through the aforesaid slot t' as shown in Fig.

2 and the locking plate given a partial turn from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 when the bolt passes behind the projecting lip h upon the casing and prevents withdrawal of the plate. The bolt j upon the locking plate may engage a stop Ylc .upon the casing for limiting the rotary movement of the locking plate. When the key has been turned in the lock and the locking bolt m shot out, the latter passes between stops non the casing and so prevents rotation of the locking plate.

Instead of forming the lugs and lock upon the locking plate we may place same upon the casing and provide the locking plate with grooves and stops. In place of the aforesaid arrangement of bolts and grooves for securing the locking plate to the protective casing by a partial rotary movement, we may form upon the locking plate e and upon the casing a interrupted screw threads, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6; the action of the parts is however substantially the same as in the previously described arrangement. In this case we may provide suitable projections as 0 upon the casing to assist in placing the locking plate in position, and prevent it being rotated too far.

We do not limit ourselves to the details of our apparatus as hereinbefore described, but may modify same to suit various requirements.

Y Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. In prepayment gas meters and other coin 'freed apparatus in combination, a rigid protective casing, an aperture in said casing, a locking plate for said aperture, an open ended coin receptacle within said protective casing,- a frame piece holding open the coin receiving` end oi said receptacle, means supporting said frame piece within the protective casing, and means detachably closing the lower end of said receptacle, substan- .tiallyy as set forth.

2. YIn prepayment gas meters and other coin freed apparatus in combination, a rigid protective casing, a circular aperture in said casing, a'v circular locking plate for said aperture, interengaging lugs and grooves securing said locking plate within said aperture, an open-ended coin receptacle with said protective casing, a frame piece holding open the coin receiving end of said receptacle, means supporting said frame piece within the protective casing, and means detachably closing the lower end of said receptacle, substantially as set forth.

3. In repayment gas meters and other coin freed apparatus, in combination, a rigid protective casing, a circular aperture in said casing, a groove or channel in the casing around said aperture, a circular locking Jlate, a projection on said locking plate capa le oi entering said groove, va lock upon said locking plate, projections upon the casing between which the bolt of said lock passes, an openended coin receptacle within said protective casing, a frame piece holding open the coin receiving end of said receptacle, pinsv passed through the casing supporting said frame ieee, and a lace for detachably closing the lbwer end of said receptacle, substantially as set forth.

n testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MACKENZIE. ARTHUR MERCER. Witnesses ARTHUR HUGHES, CHARLES CONRAD. 

